Animated Characters: Con-goers insist that yaoi ain't yucky

FEATURE, DECEMBER 10, 2009SEXUAL DEPRAVITY OVERSTATEDGirls just want to have fun: The Bishie Con convention, while it definitely had its jokes and innuendo, was not nearly as raunchy as the article makes it sound ["Girls Who Love Boys Who Love Boys," Aimee Levitt]. Most of it was girls giggling over innuendo and implied relationships between guys. And it wasn't all Japanese-origin stuff, either. As the article mentions, Harry Potter slash was hugely popular, as was Star Trek slash.

While the stuff Yamila Abraham does in her Yaoi Hentaipalooza panel is pretty rancid (in a silly way, of course), it's the exception to the rule — or perhaps the exception that proves the rule. But honestly, most yaoi tends not to show penises, which is where the whole "penetration with vegetables" thing comes in. Most yaoi and boys love is rather light and romantic. But there was a call for hardcore early in yaoi's history, hence early yaoi that showed penetration with weird objects. Back then, genitalia was not allowed to be shown in Japan. Yamila is making fun of that with her corncob jokes. It's not that all (or even anywhere near all) yaoi is like that. Most of it is cute, romantic and erotic rather than depraved.Katrina Lynn, Bishie Con convention organizer, via the Internet

Story lacked penetration: Some truly nice commentary on the psychological rationale behind why we like yaoi is buried in an otherwise point-missing article determined to play up the supposed raunchiness of things that are simply not always so. It's as though the writer were writing about a huge, diverse topic, like, say, Christmas. And instead of focusing on why it is celebrated, what it means to people, why they have certain traditions or standards or symbols, the author simply went on a rambling summary of how people give presents — and that's about it.

The heteronormative angle of this article reflects the annoying mindset in the yaoi fandom in general. There were more than just young teens and "creepy" older women at this con, as this article states. Straight and lesbian females of all ages, as well as gay and straight males, were in attendance at Bishie Con. (Again, I am trying to discern the purpose for the throwaway, insulting commentary on the "garden-variety female impersonators in high heels.")Robin, via the Internet

Scaling new heights of perversion: This is one of the most disgusting, perverted things I have ever read in my life. Is nobody disturbed that we are now having conventions to celebrate and "act out" not just graphic male-male sex, but also to celebrate a form of literature that glorifies rape, incest, child abuse and every other form of sexual perversion under the sun? Is nobody disturbed that children are reading this trash? Where are the parents? Where is the morality? What's next, conventions to act out human-animal sex, or father-toddler sex?Sarah Ashwood, Muskogee, Oklahoma, via the Internet

Yaoi fans are not lunatics: Most yaoi is just fluffy little romance stories between two guys, with the occasional ambiguous sex scene that doesn't really show much of anything besides facial expressions. There is something about this article that just seems off to me. It makes con-goers sound like depraved lunatics! It's really just a bunch of hyperactive teens with a bit too much imagination and time on their hands.Audrey, via the Internet

DAILY RFT, DECEMBER 8, 2009HIGHWAY ROBBERYCheap shot taken: I've been wondering how long it would take the RFT to post a negative piece on the new I-64 ["Traffic on the New I-64: Worse Than It Was Before?" Keegan Hamilton]. Came in at about a day later than I expected, but here it is. Instead of judging the highway based on the first day it opened — when you have a lot of gawkers clogging it up and people just realizing they have to exit onto Hanley to get to Brentwood — why not take a few weeks and see where traffic patterns shake out. I realize that gut feelings and overreactions are your bread and butter, but it's probably fair to say that people's expectations were a little lofty for this. The new highway was meant to ease congestion, not eliminate it.Say Wuh, via the Internet

DAILY RFT, DECEMBER 7, 2009SPEAKING OF PLASTIC PENISESAs Charlton Heston would say ...: Mr. Roorda, the only way you're going to get my plastic penis is if you pry it out of my cold, dead hands ["Lawmaker Wants to Rub Out Prosthetic Penises," Chad Garrison].Helen Twelvetrees, via the Internet